Pass on the Positivity

Mimi and Fiona from Heartburn Cancer UK got in touch with an offer that was both generous and quietly bold. They’ve been working with venues across the UK to make sure people with cancer are not turned away. They set up training for massage therapists at The Lanesborough so they could treat people like me with confidence. Ana and I, her having also had her own cancer journey, were invited to try it out first.

Of course, we said yes. And, I’m so glad we did.

Before I get to the spa part, I want to say thank you. Mimi and Fiona also didn’t ask me to write this, and almost never ask for recognition of their efforts – despite doing so much in the background for so many. They just want cancer patients to feel welcome in places that often shut us out. This post is my way of saying thanks and shining a light on what they do, and how important it is.

Why Heartburn Cancer UK is personal – and important

If I’d known more about Barrett’s oesophagus, my disease would have been caught earlier. Heartburn Cancer UK raises awareness of persistent heartburn and Barrett’s, supports research and patients, and provides straightforward information on symptoms and getting help:
https://heartburncanceruk.org/ heartburncanceruk.org

For anyone new to Barrett’s: it is a change in the cells lining the oesophagus, often linked to long-term reflux. Most people with Barrett’s do not develop cancer, but the risk is real and graded by dysplasia. Cancer Research UK summarises it clearly – between 3 and 13 per cent of people with Barrett’s will develop oesophageal adenocarcinoma (the car I have) over their lifetime, and fewer than 1 per cent per year progress – risk rises with high-grade dysplasia:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/other-conditions/barretts-oesophagus/about-barretts Cancer Research UK

Guidance exists to drive earlier detection and better follow-up. NICE’s (The UK’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence) guideline on Barrett’s and stage 1 oesophageal adenocarcinoma sets out surveillance, when to treat endoscopically, and when to escalate:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng231 NICE
Specific recommendations: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng231/chapter/Recommendations NICE

There is also a practical early-detection tool worth watching – the capsule sponge test (formerly Cytosponge). Recent reporting highlights how pilots are freeing up endoscopy capacity and catching Barrett’s sooner, with calls to scale access nationally:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/26/sponge-on-a-string-reduces-long-waits-for-diagnostic-test-for-cancer The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/05/oesophageal-cancer-test-should-be-made-more-available-in-uk The Guardian

If you or someone you love has ongoing heartburn, don’t ignore it. Learn the signs, seek assessment, and connect with Heartburn Cancer UK for guidance: https://heartburncanceruk.org/

The Lanesborough Club & Spa – luxury with its welcome switched on

Now for the part that will make your shoulders relax just thinking about it. The Lanesborough Club & Spa in Knightsbridge feels like a haven as soon as you walk in. It’s elegant, not stuffy. Warm dark, quiet halls, staff who meet your eyes and treat your time as important. My hour-long massage felt like it was over in twenty minutes. The room was the right temperature, the support and pressure were just right, and the pace was perfect. It was the good kind of indulgence – a reset for a body that’s been stuck in fight mode.

The Lanesborough Hotel – Central London – all dressed up for xmas

Spa overview: https://www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com/

What matters most: their team has a Cancer Care category and real training, so people in treatment or with a cancer history are not turned away. That’s still rare. Cancer Care sits right on their treatment menu with everything else. That sends a clear message of inclusion.
https://www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com/spa-treatments/category/cancer-care/ lanesboroughclubandspa.com

As a patient, I noticed the details that count: careful positioning to avoid pressure on sore spots, clear questions about my meds and symptoms, and a therapist who worked with skill and confidence without making me feel breakable. That’s dignity in action.

The entrance to the treatment rooms

The stubborn myth – “massage spreads cancer”

Let’s talk about the big myth in the room. Many places still refuse to massage people with cancer because they believe massage might spread it, usually by “stimulating the lymphatic system.” This fear makes sense if you don’t know the facts. But the evidence just doesn’t support it.

Reputable organisations are clear:

If you want a lay explainer that hits the key points plainly, Dana-Farber also debunks “massage spreads cancer” in a broader myth piece:
https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2018/08/6-common-myths-causes-cancer/ Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

So where did this fear start? Therapists were once told not to treat people with cancer because of worries about lymph flow and spreading cancer. But metastasis happens because of tumour biology, not because someone uses gentle pressure on your back. Today, oncology massage is about adapting, making you comfortable, and knowing the risks – not avoiding you.

Ana’s legs, not mine 🤣 – the spa’s pool area

What oncology massage can help with – and what it cannot

Let’s be clear. Massage does not treat or shrink cancer. But it can help with symptoms and stress, which can make life better and help you get through treatment. Major cancer groups support integrative approaches for anxiety and mood, including relaxation therapies. Massage is often part of this, with special protocols in cancer centres. See the Society for Integrative Oncology and ASCO for more on this.
https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.23.00857 ASC Publications
SIO summary: https://integrativeonc.org/latest-news/sio-asco-releases-guidelines-on-integrative-oncology-care-of-symptoms-of-anxiety-and-depression-in-adults-with-cancer/ integrativeonc.org

A good therapist will ask about:

  • current treatment status
  • central lines, ports, PICCs, stomas, drains
  • surgical sites, radiation fields, neuropathy, lymphoedema
  • clot risk, platelet counts, bone mets or fragility
  • pain, fatigue, insomnia, and what “better” looks like to you

Then they adapt: gentler pressure if needed, careful positioning to protect sensitive areas, avoiding tumour sites or devices, and stopping if something feels off. That’s not being timid. That’s being clinical.

The treatment room itself – the temperature was perfect

A quick patient guide – how to book a massage safely during or after cancer

  1. Ask about training – has your therapist completed oncology-specific training or in-house education on cancer physiology and treatment effects?
  2. Share your realities – bring a short list of treatment history, current meds, devices, and recent side effects.
  3. Coordinate with your team – if you are mid-chemo, immunotherapy, on anticoagulants, or have a complex device, check with your clinical nurse specialist about timing and any red flags.
  4. Pressure and positioning – agree on comfortable pressure, protect fragile areas, avoid direct work over tumour sites, ports, or recent radiation fields.
  5. Stop rules: if you feel light-headed, short of breath, extra sore, or just uneasy, stop and reset.
  6. Expect benefits, not miracles. Aim for relaxation, better sleep, less tension, and a body that feels more like yours for a while.

For authoritative background:
Cancer Research UK on massage and safety: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/massage Cancer Research UK
Macmillan’s guide to massage and touch therapies: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/coping-with-treatment/complementary-therapies/massage-or-other-touch-therapies Macmillan Cancer Support

Our experience at The Lanesborough

I showed up with the usual mix of hope and worry – hoping it would be nice, worrying I’d be treated like a biohazard. Instead, I got a smile and simple questions that made me feel like a person, not a problem. The therapist understood fatigue and neuropathy without me having to explain everything. We agreed on pressure together. The hour disappeared. I left feeling human again – less tense, more present.

The pre-treatment waiting room

This is what high-end places can do when they choose inclusion over fear. The Lanesborough has set a standard others should follow.
Spa homepage: https://www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com/ lanesboroughclubandspa.com
Cancer Care category: https://www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com/spa-treatments/category/cancer-care/ lanesboroughclubandspa.com

For venues and therapists – a gentle challenge

Turning away cancer patients is usually about fear of liability and old myths, not bad intent. There’s a better way.

  • Train your team in oncology basics and adaptations.
  • Write a clear policy that welcomes patients with appropriate screening.
  • Build a short clinical intake form that flags the key risks without scaring people off.
  • Network with local oncology units so you know where to signpost if something is beyond scope.

If you want an accessible place to start debunking, this myth-buster speaks plainly:
https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2018/02/can-massages-spread-lymphoma/ Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

And for safe practice boundaries in the integrative space generally, Macmillan’s overview of complementary approaches and where evidence sits is a helpful anchor:
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/coping-with-treatment/complementary-therapies/about-complementary-therapies Macmillan Cancer Support

Closing the loop – why this matters

When you live with cancer, small moments of normal keep you going. A calm room. Skilled hands. An hour where your body gets care, not caution. That’s not a luxury. It’s a supportive therapy that can help you sleep, ease pain, lower anxiety, and get through the hard parts. Massage is about comfort and coping, not cure. That’s the point.

If you run a spa or clinic, please follow The Lanesborough’s lead and welcome people with cancer. If you’re a patient or carer, think about adding oncology-aware massage to your self-care, with your clinical team’s input. And if you’ve had ongoing heartburn, take this as your sign to learn more and act sooner.

Some of the wonderful HCUK out educating people in the community

Start with Heartburn Cancer UK: https://heartburncanceruk.org/ heartburncanceruk.org

And if you get the chance to book a treatment at The Lanesborough, let yourself relax.
https://www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com/ lanesboroughclubandspa.com

References and further reading


Pass on the Positivity

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